LA Sheriff's corruption probe: Union leader fires back at charges

Bill Lewis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBIís Los Angeles Division, left, with Andre Birotte, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, right, comment on the five criminal cases filed against 18 current and former Los Angeles County sheriffís deputies as part of an FBI investigation into allegations of civil rights abuses and corruption in the nationís largest jail system, during a news conference in Los Angeles, Monday, Dec. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

The union boss for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday stepped to the defense of deputies arrested in misconduct at county jails, accusing the FBI of waging a “vendetta” against some of them and adding that some of their behavior was authorized by higher-ups in the department.

The FBI has filed charges against 18 deputies alleging various types of misconduct, including abusing inmates and visitors and trying to intimidate a federal agent.

L.A. Professional Peace Officers President Brian Moriguchi criticized the way the FBI arrested sheriff’s Lts. Gregory Thompson and Stephen Leavins, the highest-ranking officers accused of trying to obstruct a federal investigation into alleged corruption and civil rights violations at Men’s Central Jail.

“The FBI sent SWAT teams out to their homes at 6 in the morning,” Moriguchi said. “Thompson’s wife was brought outside in her pajamas and handcuffed in the freezing cold, which is completely unacceptable when these individuals were no risk to the federal agents and would have surrendered any time the FBI asked them to.”

“It makes me suspect the FBI was sending some sort of message that ‘if you want to treat us badly, then we want to treat you badly’,” Moriguchi added. “We do not object to any investigation — we just ask that fair treatment be given, and that this is not some vendetta of the FBI.”

FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller denied the allegation that the FBI was particularly heavy-handed against the lieutenants.

“I checked and no SWAT teams were used at these arrest locations,” she said, adding, “Any tactical decisions are made for safety of officers and defendants, and not based on any other suggested motivation.”

The federal grand jury indictment claimed Thompson and Leavins were part of a conspiracy to hide a jailhouse informant from the FBI.

Members of that group allegedly tried to hide an FBI informant from the FBI by falsifying records to make it appear he’d been released, when he was actually being held in a different location under a fake name. They also allegedly went to the home of an FBI agent in an attempt to intimidate her into divulging details about the investigation.

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Moriguchi believes they were merely following orders.

“I don’t know whether their actions were appropriate or not, but I can say that … the alleged conduct of the two lieutenants would not have been done of their own volition,” Moriguchi said. “There had to have been somebody higher up who either authorized that type of conduct, or actually instructed or ordered them to do that.”

“I’m not going to comment on an individual’s speculation,” he said. “The federal investigation is still ongoing, and Sheriff’s Department is cooperating fully.”

Meanwhile, more information is emerging about another of the deputies arrested Monday.

“At least one of the people indicted is among the worst deputies we know of — Fernando Luviano,” said Peter Eliasberg, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, which has served as a court-appointed jail monitor for almost 30 years.

“We’ve heard (Luviano’s) name come up in connection with beating, intimidating, harassment of inmates,” Eliasberg added. “It amazed me that he continued to be employed by the department.”

A few years ago, the county and the department paid $475,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by an inmate who accused settled Luviano and other deputies of excessive force.

Michael Holguin said the deputies beat him with their fists and flashlights, putting him in the hospital for three days with staples in his head, bruises, lacerations, stitches in his face and a broken leg.

“It feels good,” said Holguin of the indictments. “Just because they wear a badge doesn’t mean they’re above the law.”

Gabriel Carrillo accused Luviano and other deputies of beating him when he visited his brother at Men’s Central Jail in 2011. His lawyer, Ron Kaye, said Luviano’s indictment gave his client “a sense of vindication.”

Meanwhile, Inspector General Max Huntsman, appointed earlier this month to provide oversight of the Sheriff’s Department, said he would strive for reforms once the criminal cases are finished.

“As that concludes and resolves itself, then we’ll be able to step in and take care of the larger issues, because criminal prosecutions never really address the fundamental issues or policy matters, they just address whether or not a particular individual goes to jail.”

“I’m happy for the spotlight being shed on things and I’ll let that process move forward, but at the same time, we’re going to be ready to step in and try to come up with solutions to avoid these issues coming up in the future.”